Chapter two of the 2012 Trillium Cup series kicks off tonight. Columbus took the first match on March 31 in Toronto. The final match of the series will take place Oct. 28 in Columbus. The rivalry began in 2008 when Toronto FC joined Major League Soccer. Columbus mayor Michael Coleman and then-Toronto mayor David Miller placed a small wager with one another in which the losing city's mayor would have to wear the winning team's jersey. As supporters of each club followed suit, the Trillium Cup rivalry began.

The Cup gets its name from trillium, the state wildflower of Ohio and the provincial flower of Ontario. In the series, the Crew has won three of the four series. The only time the Crew has lost the Cup was in 2011, a result of the club's only loss to a Canadian opponent.